The Night Shift
by luena86
Summary: Remus Lupin, a werewolf and a wizard, falls in love with a young Muggle. How will he tell her what he is and will she accept him for it? Told in Remus' POV, and from his journal. May be a little slow going but we'll get there
1. Meetings

**September 1st, 1978,**

The day began like any other, I woke up, I got dressed, I ate. Only this time I was making my final journey to Kings Cross to take the train to school. I was late, as usual and I rushed as ever to ensure I made it onto the train on time.

The normal excuse me's and hurried apologies as I hurtled through the crowd, Hogwarts trunk clattering along in front on a trolley. Then a sudden - and unusual - collision. Head first over the trolley, landing in a heap of school supplies and limbs. I sat up and looked around, dazed. I met the eyes of an equally dazed girl, black hair, brown eyes, can't have been more than 15. "I'm sorry" I said as I scraped all of my things back into my trunk before anyone noticed the unusual contents. "That's ok" came the reply, a slight hint of confusion in her voice. She stood up as I frantically searched my pockets and the immediate area for my wand. She handed it to me, a look of deep wonder in her eyes.

I had five minutes. Enough time for a quick thanks and then I'd have to run. "Diana" she said as I opened my mouth, "My name's Diana" She smiled, of course, it probably would have been polite to tell someone what your name was after you just pelted them with a luggage trolley and your own person."Remus" I replied quietly "I have to get the train now..." I finished lamely; she did too apparently, only not to Hogwarts, to Marylebone College for Orphaned Girls.

She was a muggle. Great...

P.S

Sirius knows, he read my journal, why did I have to write it on the train?

**October 31st, 1978,**

Sirius sent her a letter. He sent Diana a letter.

"Dear Diana, it is Remus, you know the one who gave you a concussion back in September?

Forgive the unusual method of delivery, it's just how we do things. I am in London next week, would you like to meet me?

Write back, the bird will know what to do,

Remus."

I could have killed him. But, at least I'll get to apologise properly now that I have regained full use of my frontal lobes.

Should be eventful.

Halloween celebrations are somewhat lessened for me this year, had to fall just before a full moon. Oh great, I should be my perfectly normal, human, self when I meet Diana.


	2. Diana the kibitzer

Reading my old diary makes me realise how simple it would have been to just forget about her but I couldn't, I just could not bring myself to surrender to the idea of never seeing her again. One chance meeting at the station that September morning could have destroyed both of our lives.  
I met her at a cafe in London, but I was far too preoccupied with what I was supposed to say to her to remember its name. The first few minutes after the greetings were wasted in relative silence, and then the guilt set it. "I'm sorry for almost braining you with a luggage trolley" I spluttered suddenly. She smiled, I took that to mean she didn't really care either way...  
"It's fine; to be honest I'm more worried about you, why are you so cut up?" She asked, extending a hand to touch a fine scratch that ran from the bridge of my nose to the edge of my left cheek. "I-it's nothing, you get used to things like this at my school" I explained and shrugged it off as if I hadn't practically killed myself again this month.  
Another perfectly good reason to never see this girl again....another perfectly good reason ignored.

From then we had a regular correspondence, she got used to the Owl post and sent me answering letters nearly every week. The taunts from my friends were easy enough to ignore, even the ones from Sirius involving the phrases "puppy love" and asking what we were "going to call the cubs" could be laughed off.  
I don't think I could ever be quite as carefree as I was during those days. However, this posed a problem. What right did I have to put her in this much danger? I barely knew her.  
She definitely didn't know me.

___________________________________________________________________________

I could smell her skin, the fear was emanating from her in almost visible waves. My strength was crescent, she was running. I could run faster but I was taunting her, keeping a few feet behind her at all times.

She tripped, her dark hair fanned behind her like a cloak as she collapsed on the ground, she turned and stared wide eyed with fear as I lunged forward, jaws wide, a feral snarl echoing through the trees behind the house...  
Waking in cold sweats like this had been a regular occurrence for several months now. The same vignette being the cause.I shouldn't have agreed. I should not have let her do this to herself.

I am Remus Lupin, aged 21, living with Diana Lovett, aged 18. She had recently left school and had taken residence in her grandmother's old home situated in front of a dense wood.  
Diana had taken me in after the death of two of my closest friends, James and Lily Potter. It was May now; I had been staying with her for 7 months. I flicked on the lamp flooding the tenebrous room with bright, xanthous light. I sat on the edge of my bed and rubbed at my face, urging myself to forget the dream. It haunts me every month, just before the full moon. Always the same...I tried to convince myself that it wasn't a premonition, I would never, could never....I didn't want to think about it.

Downstairs, Diana was already busying herself with the breakfast, I tell her she needn't bother, "I'm quite capable, it's the least I can do" but as usual, my insistence goes unnoticed. Bacon, fried bread and scrambled eggs are waiting in my place at the table as I enter the kitchen.  
A sigh signifies my feelings towards her mothering me and earns a disdainful shake of the head. Once I'd finished eating and we sat drinking tea the regular conversation regarding what food she needs to buy at the store arises, she knows of course that I am a wizard by now...she gives me a list of what I need to get from Hogsmeade as soon as I can get there...she likes Butterbeer as much as the next sane person.  
"I'll be working the night shift in a few days time" I explain...though of course that is not what I'll be doing at all, "I just thought you'd better know so that you don't go wasting your cooking skills." She shook her head and drained her cup in one, "Look Remus," she began, great; Diana the kibitzer rides again, "I think you should mention to your employers that you can't do the late shifts at work anymore, you look far too tired."  
It was so hard to lie to her; she did so much for me. I worked in Hogsmeade's book shop, which obviously had no requirement for a late shift...but it was the best excuse I could come up with to explain my monthly disappearances.


	3. More Careful

I loathed the full moon, most of my fellow werewolves embraced their lot, I on the other hand did not.  
The transformations were always grueling but they're so much worse now that I'm not with my friends, 2 dead and gone....and the other...well he was where he deserved to be after what he did.  
So, alone, I transformed monthly into an uncontrollable monster who tried to rip himself limb from limb to protect the girl inside the house less than a mile away. I don't doubt that she would try to help me if she could....but there's not really anything she can do for me, except keep herself safe. Her fear of the woods could only be seen as a blessing, it meant she'd never stumble across the crude house I had built myself somewhere in its centre and come face to face with a fully grown and hungry werewolf.

This transformation had been particularly difficult; I was so tired by the end of the three days that I was back at the house before dawn. She must have heard me because, as my wolfish whimpers became more and more human, she opened the back door to find me curled up, my arms wrapped around my chest, wincing against the throes of my transformations.  
"Remus!" She exclaimed in a harsh whisper, "What happened?" She fell to her knees in front of my cowering form and reached out to, but did not touch me for fear of inflicting yet more suffering...I closed my eyes, and blacked out.

I awoke in the living room, I cannot fathom how she managed to get me from the back yard to the couch, but it is surprising what you can manage in times of need. A stinging sensation in my left arm is what woke me, turning my head I saw that Diana was kneeling at my side, cleaning my cuts and bandaging them all herself. I was thankful that she didn't ask me any questions about how I managed to get myself into this state, but I was also thankful that she cared so deeply for me. Her tears stung as they dropped into my open wounds but neither she nor I said anything. It wasn't until she brought me breakfast in my room the following day that she mentioned it at all.

"I thought you were a wounded animal by the noises you were making" She said suddenly, but softly as if she felt embarrassed to be saying it out loud, "What happened to you Remus?"  
I gripped her wrist and gestured for her to sit on the edge of my bed, "I-I was attacked...by something in the woods as I was returning from work" I explained and looked into her eyes "I beseech you to stay away from those woods, there's...just please?" she nodded earnestly and averted her eyes. I sighed and released her arm; she left me alone in my room for the majority of the day, bringing me my meals with a smile before departing once more. I suppose I should have been a little more careful.


	4. Into the Wood

Diana's POV.

Remus was working the night shift again. As he had done every month. I voiced my opinions to Mrs Weasley, who was our closest neighbour, living a little while down the road, near the village. She was a lovely lady and I was very glad that Remus had introduced us - it was a long day spent alone when Remus was working away in London. I was told not to worry and that it was most likely a one off attack, the animal had probably moved on.

I sighed to myself when I was mulling over the conversations we'd had on the subject back at home. I wasn't convinced that it was an animal, maybe Remus had been attacked by someone in the woods. Did he owe someone money? He was very secretive about his work, he brought home enough money but it may not have always been that way.

On the fifth day after Remus had left for London I began to get anxious, what could be keeping him? He usually returns on the fourth, tired and hungry. It was nine in the evening when I ventured outside to see if I could see a sign of his return. I stood at the edge of the wood, breathing deeply and hugging myself, despite it being summer now I had a strange sensation of cold which I put down to my fear of the woods.

I was about to step into the trees onto the trail I knew would lead me safely through when I saw it. The thing that kept me out of the woods, I always knew it was there when I was a child; I was just too petrified to turn in case I saw it. This time it was there, right in front of me. Great amber eyes staring at me from 100 metres into the trees, its huge shadowy form blocking most of the trail ahead. It turned and bared its teeth, ready to attack.


	5. Dances with Wolves

Reading my old diary makes me realise how simple it would have been to just forget about her but I couldn't, I just could not bring myself to surrender to the idea of never seeing her again. One chance meeting at the station that September morning could have destroyed both of our lives.  
I met her at a cafe in London, but I was far too preoccupied with what I was supposed to say to her to remember its name. The first few minutes after the greetings were wasted in relative silence, and then the guilt set it. "I'm sorry for almost braining you with a luggage trolley" I spluttered suddenly. She smiled, I took that to mean she didn't really care either way...  
"It's fine; to be honest I'm more worried about you, why are you so cut up?" She asked, extending a hand to touch a fine scratch that ran from the bridge of my nose to the edge of my left cheek. "I-it's nothing, you get used to things like this at my school" I explained and shrugged it off as if I hadn't practically killed myself again this month.  
Another perfectly good reason to never see this girl again....another perfectly good reason ignored.

From then we had a regular correspondence, she got used to the Owl post and sent me answering letters nearly every week. The taunts from my friends were easy enough to ignore, even the ones from Sirius involving the phrases "puppy love" and asking what we were "going to call the cubs" could be laughed off.  
I don't think I could ever be quite as carefree as I was during those days. However, this posed a problem. What right did I have to put her in this much danger? I barely knew her.  
She definitely didn't know me.

___________________________________________________________________________

I could smell her skin, the fear was emanating from her in almost visible waves. My strength was crescent, she was running. I could run faster but I was taunting her, keeping a few feet behind her at all times.

She tripped, her dark hair fanned behind her like a cloak as she collapsed on the ground, she turned and stared wide eyed with fear as I lunged forward, jaws wide, a feral snarl echoing through the trees behind the house...  
Waking in cold sweats like this had been a regular occurrence for several months now. The same vignette being the cause.I shouldn't have agreed. I should not have let her do this to herself.

I am Remus Lupin, aged 21, living with Diana Lovett, aged 18. She had recently left school and had taken residence in her grandmother's old home situated in front of a dense wood.  
Diana had taken me in after the death of two of my closest friends, James and Lily Potter. It was May now; I had been staying with her for 7 months. I flicked on the lamp flooding the tenebrous room with bright, xanthous light. I sat on the edge of my bed and rubbed at my face, urging myself to forget the dream. It haunts me every month, just before the full moon. Always the same...I tried to convince myself that it wasn't a premonition, I would never, could never....I didn't want to think about it.

Downstairs, Diana was already busying herself with the breakfast, I tell her she needn't bother, "I'm quite capable, it's the least I can do" but as usual, my insistence goes unnoticed. Bacon, fried bread and scrambled eggs are waiting in my place at the table as I enter the kitchen.  
A sigh signifies my feelings towards her mothering me and earns a disdainful shake of the head. Once I'd finished eating and we sat drinking tea the regular conversation regarding what food she needs to buy at the store arises, she knows of course that I am a wizard by now...she gives me a list of what I need to get from Hogsmeade as soon as I can get there...she likes Butterbeer as much as the next sane person.  
"I'll be working the night shift in a few days time" I explain...though of course that is not what I'll be doing at all, "I just thought you'd better know so that you don't go wasting your cooking skills." She shook her head and drained her cup in one, "Look Remus," she began, great; Diana the kibitzer rides again, "I think you should mention to your employers that you can't do the late shifts at work anymore, you look far too tired."  
It was so hard to lie to her; she did so much for me. I worked in Hogsmeade's book shop, which obviously had no requirement for a late shift...but it was the best excuse I could come up with to explain my monthly disappearances.


	6. Awkward Silences

Remus POV

When I arrived home, I found Diana asleep in the armchair by the window. She was so pale, she was obviously still shaken.  
All I could think of when I stood looking at her that night was that this could be one of the last times I would be allowed to.  
In the morning, she would wake and demand an explanation and no matter how long I thought, none came to me.  
I just couldn't bring myself to lie to her: if she asked, I would tell her.  
But if I told her, she would make me leave. . .  
The truth would disgust her as it did everyone else. Everyone except my dearest friends, and look what happened to them!

Not even my night of thinking could have prepared me for her response when she awoke next morning, as soon as her eyes adjusted to the room she launched herself at me (with much more force than was appropriate for one who had just woken up) and threw her arms around my neck, "Remus! I'm so glad you're ok, I was so worried!" she whispered into my shoulder. As my plan formed in my head, it was the best I could do to hold her gently and fight back my tears.

She roamed aimlessly about the house for most of the morning, occasionally looking at me out of the corner of her eye.  
I could tell by the way she was acting (erratically to say the least: she cleaned the mantelpiece five times and made the beds twice despite the fact that no one had slept in them the night before), that she was trying to avoid bringing up the subject of what happened in the woods.  
This just strengthened my resolve; I couldn't let her do this to herself for my sake.

I turned and ascended the stairs to my room, abandoning my post at the kitchen door watching Diana washing all the pans.  
This was definitely going to be difficult; I didn't want to think about how she'd take it...

* * *

Diana POV

Remus followed me around like a lost puppy that day, I'd look at him occasionally as I busied myself around the house, and he'd open his mouth like he wanted to say something but every time he would close it again and shake his head.

We hardly said a word to each other.  
I was used to him being a little different when he returned but he was never like this before.  
Even when we sat down to lunch, he just picked at his food and didn't even so much as look at me. I cleaned the kitchen after lunch and he watched me from the door.  
About an hour later, I heard him sigh and I saw him leave the room from the corner of my eye.

'He must be tired,' I thought to myself, I'd let him rest a while before I went to check on him. I sat down at the kitchen table with a piece of paper and a pen.  
If I wasn't brave enough to confront him face to face, I'd leave him a note so he could tell me in his own time.  
I was right, it was a lot easier to write what I felt rather than say it aloud and have those eyes staring at me the entire time, it made me feel like I was a child again - afraid of telling my parents why I was scared of the dark for fear of them laughing at me and telling me I was stupid...  
Although, parents I could handle...if it was Remus saying those things to me...

I hesitated outside his door, the note in my hand - I would leave it on his night stand and he could read it when he woke. I knocked - no answer.  
He was sleeping then, that would certainly make this easier and less embarrassing for us both.  
I pushed the door open gently so as not to wake him and stepped into the room.

Remus was not sleeping, nor was he in the room at all. All that was left as evidence that he had ever been there at all was a single sheet of paper, neatly folded on his pillow, my name printed on the front.


End file.
